Tafsir of Surah An-Naml - Verse 9

The Story of Musa and the End of Fir`awn

Here Allah tells His Messenger Muhammad ﷺ about what happened to Musa, peace be upon him, how Allah chose him, spoke with him and gave him mighty, dazzling signs and overwhelming proof, and sent him to Fir`awn and his people, but they denied the proof, disbelieved in him and arrogantly refused to follow him. Allah says:

إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لاًّهْلِهِ

(when Musa said to his household), meaning, remember when Musa was traveling with his family and lost his way. This was at night, in the dark. Musa had seen a fire beside the mountain, i.e., he had noticed a fire burning brightly, and said,

لاًّهْلِهِ إِنِّى آنَسْتُ نَاراً سَـَاتِيكُمْ مِّنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ

(to his household: "Verily, I have seen a fire; I will bring you from there some information...") meaning, `about the way we should take.'

أَوْ ءَاتِيكُمْ بِشِهَابٍ قَبَسٍ لَّعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ

(or I will bring you a burning ember, that you may warm yourselves.) meaning, so that they could keep warm. And it was as he said: "He came back with great news, and a great light." Allah says:

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهَا نُودِىَ أَن بُورِكَ مَن فِى النَّارِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا

(But when he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is whosoever is in the fire, and whosoever is round about it!") meaning, when he came to it, he saw a great and terrifying sight: the fire was burning in a green bush, and the fire was burning ever brighter while the bush was growing ever more green and beautiful. Then he raised his head, and saw that its light was connected to the clouds of the sky. Ibn `Abbas and others said, "It was not a fire, rather it was shining light." According to one report narrated from Ibn `Abbas, it was the Light of the Lord of the worlds. Musa stood amazed by what he was seeing, and

نُودِىَ أَن بُورِكَ مَن فِى النَّارِ

(he was called: "Blessed is whosoever is in the fire...") Ibn `Abbas said, "This means, Holy is (whosoever is in the fire)."

وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا

(and whosoever is round about it) means, of the angels. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, `Ikrimah, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan and Qatadah.

وَسُبْحَـنَ اللَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

(And glorified be Allah, the Lord of all that exists), Who does whatever He wills and there is nothing like Him among His creation. Nothing He has made can encompass Him, and He is the Exalted, the Almighty, Who is utterly unlike all that He has created. Heaven and earth cannot contain Him, but He is the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who is far above any comparison with His creation.

يمُوسَى إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

(O Musa! Verily, it is I, Allah, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.) Allah told him that the One Who was addressing him was his Lord Allah, the All-Mighty, Who has subjugated and subdued all things, the One Who is Wise in all His words and deeds. Then He commanded him to throw down the stick that was in his hand, so that He might show him clear proof that He is the One Who is able to do all things, whatever He wills. When Musa threw that stick down, it changed into the form of a huge and terrifying snake, moving quickly despite its size. Allah says:

فَلَمَّا رَءَاهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَآنٌّ

(But when he saw it moving as if it were a Jann (snake).) Jann refers to a type of snake that is the fastest-moving and most agile. When Musa saw that with his own eyes,

وَلَّى مُدْبِراً وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ

(he turned in flight, and did not look back.) meaning, he did not turn around, because he was so afraid. Allah's saying:

يمُوسَى لاَ تَخَفْ إِنِّى لاَ يَخَافُ لَدَىَّ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

(O Musa! Fear not: verily, the Messengers fear not in front of Me.) means, `do not be afraid of what you see, for I want to choose you as a Messenger and make you a great Prophet.'

إَلاَّ مَن ظَلَمَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلَ حُسْناً بَعْدَ سُوءٍ فَإِنِّى غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Except him who has done wrong and afterwards has changed evil for good; then surely, I am Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) This is an exception of the exclusionary type. This is good news for mankind, for whoever does an evil deed then gives it up and repents and turns to Allah, Allah will accept his repentance, as He says:

وَإِنِّى لَغَفَّارٌ لِّمَن تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَـلِحَاً ثُمَّ اهْتَدَى

(And verily, I am indeed forgiving to him who repents, believes and does righteous good deeds, and then Ahtada.) (20:82)

وَمَن يَعْمَلْ سُوءاً أَوْ يَظْلِمْ نَفْسَهُ

(And whoever does evil or wrongs himself...) (4:110). And there are many other Ayat which say the same.

وَأَدْخِلْ يَدَكَ فِى جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَآءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ

(And put your hand into the opening of your garment, it will come forth white without hurt.) This is another sign, further brilliant proof of the ability of Allah to do whatever He wills. It is also confirmation of the truth of the one to whom the miracle was given. Allah commanded him to put his hand into the opening of his garment, and when he put his hand in and took it out again, it came out white and shining as if it were a piece of the moon or a flash of dazzling lightning.

فِى تِسْعِ ءَايَـتٍ

(among the nine signs) means, `these are two of the nine signs which you will be supported with and which will serve as proof for you. '

إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَقَوْمِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ قَوْماً فَـسِقِينَ

(to Fir`awn and his people. Verily, they are a people who are rebellious.) These were the nine signs of which Allah said:

وَلَقَدْ ءَاتَيْنَا مُوسَى تِسْعَ ءَايَـتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ

(And indeed We gave Musa nine clear signs) (17:101) -- as we have stated there.

فَلَمَّا جَآءَتْهُمْ ءَايَـتُنَا مُبْصِرَةً

(But when Our Ayat came to them, clear to see,), i.e., clear and obvious,

قَالُواْ هَـذَا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

(they said: "This is a manifest magic".) They wanted to oppose it with their own magic, but they were defeated and were returned disgraced.

وَجَحَدُواْ بِهَا

(And they belied them) means, verbally,

وَاسْتَيْقَنَتْهَآ أَنفُسُهُمْ

(though they themselves were convinced thereof.) means, they knew deep down that this was truth from Allah, but they denied it and were stubborn and arrogant.

ظُلْماً وَعُلُوّاً

(wrongfully and arrogantly) means, wronging themselves because this was the despicable manner to which they were accustomed, and they were arrogant because they were too proud to follow the truth. Allah said:

فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَـقِبَةُ الْمُفْسِدِينَ

(So, see what was the end of the mischief-makers.) meaning, `see, O Muhammad, what were the consequences of their actions when Allah destroyed them and drowned every last one of them in a single morning.' The point of this story is: beware, `O you who disbelieve in Muhammad ﷺ and deny the Message that he has brought from his Lord, lest the same thing that befell them befall you also.' But what is worse, is that Muhammad ﷺ is nobler and greater than Musa, and his proof is stronger than that of Musa, for the signs that Allah has given him are combined with his presence and his character, in addition to the fact that previous Prophets foretold his coming and took a covenant from the people that they would follow him if they should see him, may the best of blessings and peace from his Lord be upon him.

فَلَمَّا جَاءَهَا نُودِيَ أَن بُورِ‌كَ مَن فِي النَّارِ‌ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّـهِ رَ‌بِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ﴿8﴾ يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّـهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿9﴾

So when he came to it, he was called: "Blessed is the one who is in the fire and the one who is around it And pure is Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 0 Musa, the fact is that I AM Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. (27:8 - 9)

The real nature of seeing the fire and hearing the voice from it

This incident of Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) has appeared in the Qur'an at many places under different chapters. Two sentences in the above verses of Surah An-Naml call for special attention. One بُورِ‌كَ مَن فِي النَّارِ‌ (Blessed is the one who is in the fire) and two, إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّـهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ.(The fact is that I AM Allah, the Mighty, the Wise) In Surah Ta-Ha, the commentary on which appears in this volume earlier, this incident is mentioned in these words:

إِذْ رَ‌أَىٰ نَارً‌ا فَقَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آنَسْتُ نَارً‌ا لَّعَلِّي آتِيكُم مِّنْهَا بِقَبَسٍ أَوْ أَجِدُ عَلَى النَّارِ‌ هُدًى ﴿10﴾ فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ يَا مُوسَىٰ ﴿11﴾ إِنِّي أَنَا رَ‌بُّكَ فَاخْلَعْ نَعْلَيْكَ ۖ إِنَّكَ بِالْوَادِ الْمُقَدَّسِ طُوًى ﴿12﴾ وَأَنَا اخْتَرْ‌تُكَ فَاسْتَمِعْ لِمَا يُوحَىٰ ﴿13﴾ إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدْنِي وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ لِذِكْرِ‌ي ﴿14﴾

When he saw a fire and said to his family, wait. I have noticed a fire. Perhaps I bring you an ember from it, or find some guidance by the fire."

So when he came to it, he was called, "0 Musa, it is Me, your Lord, remove your shoes, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa. And I have chosen you, so listen to what is revealed: Surely, I AM ALLAH. There is no god but I, so worship Me and establish Salah for My remembrance. (20:10-14)

In these verses also two sentences need special attention: إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ (it is Me, your Lord) and إِنَّنِي أَنَا رَبُّکَ (I AM ALLAH). And in Surah Al-Qasas the incident is related in these words:

نُودِيَ مِن شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَ‌كَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَ‌ةِ أَن يَا مُوسَىٰ إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

He was called by a voice coming from a side of the right valley in the blessed ground, from the tree, saying" 0 Musa, I am Allah, the Lord of the worlds" (28:30)

In all the three Surahs although the incident is described under different titles, yet the subject matter is the same, which is that Sayyidna Musa ill needed fire that night for quite a few reasons. Allah Ta’ ala evinced that to him on a tree of mount r, and he heard these words from that fire or the tree:

إِنِّي أَنَا رَ‌بُّكَ

It is Me your Lord. (20:12)

إِنَّهُ أَنَا اللَّـهُ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ

The fact is that I am ALLAH, the Mighty, the Wise. (27:9)

إِنَّنِي أَنَا اللَّـهُ لَا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا

I am ALLAH. There is no god but I. (20:14)

إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

I am ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds. (28:30)

It is possible that this vocative might have been repeated again and again, sometime by one word and then by another. The condition of hearing this vocative as described by Abu Hayyan in Tafsir Al-Bahr ul-Muhit and by ` Alusi in Ruh ul-Ma’ ani is that it was heard in a manner as if it was emanating from all sides, and not from any particular direction. The hearing of this was also very peculiar in that it was not heard by the ears only but by all the parts of the body, which was nothing less than a miracle.

It was the sound of an invisible speaker which was being heard without a particular quality (kayf) and without determining the direction. But its source was the fire or the tree on which the fire was glowing. Under such situations normally people get led into fallacy and involve themselves in idol worshipping. Therefore, under each title, the Oneness of Allah has been reminded and emphasized alongside. In the verse under reference سُبحَانَ اللہ (Pure is Allah) is added for this very warning. In Surah Ta-Ha the expression لَا الٰہ اِلَّا اَنَا (20:14) and in Surah Al-Qasas أَنَا اللَّـهُ رَ‌بُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (28:30) is used for the emphasis of this point. The outcome of this discussion is that the fire was shown to Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) because he was in need of fire and light at that time, otherwise there was no connection between the Word of Allah or with the entity of Allah with the fire or the tree of Tur. Fire was nothing but a creature of Allah Ta’ ala like so many other creatures. This is why the commentators have different views in the interpretation of the verses under reference: أَن بُورِ‌كَ مَن فِي النَّارِ‌ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا (27:8) that is Blessed is the one who is in the fire and the one who is around it. Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Mujahid and ` Ikrimah ؓ have expressed the view that the words مَن فِی النَّارِ the one who is in the fire) stand for Sayyidna Musa' (علیہ السلام) because the fire he had seen was not the real fire, but the auspicious spot he had reached was so luminous that it looked like fire from a distance. Therefore, Musa (علیہ السلام) was inside that fire, and مَن حَولَھَا (the one who is around it) is purported for the angels, who were present there nearby. Other commentators have put forward a totally opposite explanation, that the words "who is in the fire" refer to the angels, while the words "who is around it" stand for Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) . Tafsir Bayan ul Qur'an has adopted the latter explanation. It is sufficient to know this much for the understanding of the meaning of these verses.

A narration of Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ and Hasan Al-Basri (رح) and its explanation

Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Marduwaih etc., have also quoted another explanation put forward by Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas, Sayyidna Hasan Al- Basri and Said Ibn Jubair ؓ about the phrase مَن فِی النَّارِ (who is in the fire) that it is meant for Allah Ta’ ala Himself. It is but obvious that fire is created by Allah, and incarnation of the Creator into anything created by Him is impossible. Therefore, this narration cannot be taken to mean that Allah Ta’ ala had transfigured into the fire, as many idol-worshippers believe in transfiguration of God in their idols. This is absolutely against the concept of Tauhid (Oneness of Allah). All it means is manifestation, like the reflection in the mirror. The image is manifested in the mirror but it is not transfigured in it. What is seen in the mirror is outside it, having its own entity. It is also quite evident that this manifestation, which is also called refulgence, was not the refulgence of Allah Ta’ ala. It is for the simple reason that if Sayyidna Musa (علیہ السلام) had already witnessed the Divinity, he would not have requested at the mount of Tur رَ‌بِّ أَرِ‌نِي أَنظُرْ‌ إِلَيْكَ that is, ` O my Lord, show Your Self to me (7:143), so that I may look at you'. In that case the reply لَن تَرَ‌انِي (You will never see me - 7:143) would also have been meaningless. It is now clear that Sayyidna Ibn ` Abbas ؓ in his explanation had meant the manifestation of Allah Ta’ ala, that is refulgence, which appeared in the form of fire. As it was not the transmigration, it was also not the refulgence of His real Self. The phrase لَن تَرَ‌انِي (You will never see me) has also clarified that in this world no one can witness the refulgence of His real Self. Then what do manifestation and refulgence really mean? The answer to this is that this refulgence was figurative, which is commonly known among the mystics. It is rather difficult to comprehend it fully, but in order to make it simple according to common understanding, I have tried to explain it in my book Ahkam ul-Qur'an, in Arabic language, in the explanation of Surah Al-Qasas. Those who are interested can see it there.

Moses had gone to the mountain to obtain a burning brand. But after reaching it, he came to know that he had been called there to have prophethood bestowed upon him. When Almighty God blesses any subject of His with a special gift, He gives it suddenly and unexpectedly, so that the recipient may attribute it directly to God and develop in himself the most profound feelings of gratitude towards Him. On the one hand, the community of Moses (the Children of Israel), though a believing community, had degenerated. On the other, Moses had to proclaim the message of God to a tyrant king like Pharaoh. Therefore, Almighty God blessed him with the miracle of the stick at the very beginning of his mission. This stick was an enduring divine power for Moses, by means of which nine miracles were performed to awe the Pharaoh, apart from the miracles which were meant for the Children of Israel. The miracles of Moses finally established his truthfulness. In spite of this, Pharaoh and his companions did not accept him. The reasons for this were their proneness to transgression, their false pride, and their unwillingness to curtail their freedom. Moreover, they knew that accepting Moses’s preaching would amount to negating their own greatness. And who accepts Truth at the expense of his own greatness?